Matthew Hancock MP discusses education and entrepreneurship Economist David Chivers weighs up the value of education BBC education correspondent Sanchia Berg on schoolyard politics June Stevenson receives a life lesson in the importance of teaching THE EXETER COLLEGE MAGAZINE ISSUE 18 SUMMER 2015 WWW.EXETER.OX.AC.UK/ALUMNI AN F FOR FAIRNESS? Alan Bennett examines the private education system Editorial COLLEGE NEWS FEATURES A Learning Experience Rick Trainor | 3 Barriers to Entry Alan Bennett | 33 A Learning Exeter has entered its Building for the Future: Cohen Quad What Next for the Grammar School? eighth century and the Katrina Hancock | 6 Sanchia Berg | 36 exceptional 700th anniversary Showcasing Exeter’s Special Schools Failing Immigrant Pupils celebrations have formally Experience Collections Joanna Bowring | 8 Akshat Rathi | 38 come to a close. After Secular Churches and Holy Societies From Education to Entrepreneurship over a year of events, including royal Andrew Steane | 10 Matthew Hancock and Beatrice Natzler | 40 visits, unforgettable balls, and illustrious Closing the Circle Edward Elliott | 12 The Value of Education David Chivers | 43 Rector Rick Trainor finds his guest speakers, it is time to regroup and An Australian Odyssey The Implications of the General refocus. For Exon this means a return to first 10 months in post an exciting Rachael White | 14 Election on Higher Education the College’s core purpose: this year the William Morris Letters Uncovered Rick Trainor | 44 period of getting to know Exonians, magazine’s theme is education. Thomas Wilson | 15 Peace in the Negev Raymond Dwek | 46 In a controversial and personal review learning the College’s traditions Rocks Unearthed in Highland Fling Here Come the Girls of private education, Alan Bennett argues Rebecca Evans | 16 Charlotte Bannister-Parker | 48 and celebrating its successes. that to educate not according to ability Made in the USA Aideen Carroll | 18 Those Who Can, Teach but according to the social situation of the Breadth and Depth Kari Baker | 19 June Stevenson | 49 parents is both wrong and a waste. Sanchia Second Star to the Right Berg, the BBC’s education correspondent, ecoming Rector of Exeter has been an extraordinary and Straight On Till Morning reports from Kent, where many parents experience, quite apart from learning to pronounce Zoe Jackson | 20 FUNDRAISING are pressing for more selective schools. “sedulously” in the time-honoured promise I read out Rugby Sam Hillman | 22 B Economics lecturer David Chivers attempts Giving Something Back at the declaration ceremony in the Chapel on 1 October. Rowing Alice Rossignol | 23 to put a price on education – or at least Katrina Hancock | 50 That event formally inaugurated what have now been 10 Football Charlotte Cato | 23 explain why that is such a complex task. The Power of Regular Giving exciting months in post. I would characterise the period Sing from the Rooftop Rick Trainor is sworn in as Rector of Exeter College Matthew Hancock MP discusses the Katherine Fieldgate | 51 as above all a learning experience – appropriate to the Tim Muggeridge | 24 importance of education, soft skills and Something Old, Something New Education theme of this edition of Exon – getting to know redecoration and rewiring to occur. Having allowed us Connecting Exonians entrepreneurship. And Emeritus Fellow Tessa Stanley Price | 52 the people (near and far) of the Exeter family as well as the to participate in key events of the 700th anniversary Katherine Fieldgate | 24 Professor Raymond Dwek illustrates the “The Bestest Day Ever!" traditions and routines of a now 701-year-old institution. celebrations earlier in the year, Frances and Hamish very role education can play in building peace. Rory Sullivan | 54 Another course of rapid instruction has been appropriate kindly invited us to a dinner party on their final evening in Exeter’s “third quadrangle” is for the broader University, to which my wife Marguerite College. Thus we were eyewitnesses to their exceptionally UNIVERSITY NEWS progressing apace. It will house students, Dupree and I have returned after three and a half decades stylish exit, through an avenue of well-wishers sipping academics, teaching facilities, and the I ♥ New York Alex Doody | 25 ALUMNI in Cambridge, Glasgow and London. champagne and wielding sparklers, via the Broad Street College’s special collections. Joanna Vobis Gratulamur Ellen Brewster | 26 While still very recognisable, especially in the gate, in a 1931 Rolls! Oxonian superlatives are difficult to The Exeter Family Tessa Stanley Price | 55 Bowring, the College Librarian, reports Quantum Leap Jake Verter | 27 appearance of its splendid architecture and its overall sustain, but I reckon that this was the most spectacular The Birth of a Legend John Garth | 56 on the rare books and manuscripts Library Opens Its Doors to the Public ambience, Oxford is a much more female, much more departure ever of a Head of House. I’m also confident that The Problem of Prediction that the new facilities will make readily David Vaisey | 28 postgraduate and much more cosmopolitan place the 2014 rectorial transition at Exeter was among the most Adam Ward | 58 accessible, opening up fresh opportunities Pushing For Progress Georgina Lee | 30 than it was in the “Winter of Discontent” of 1978-9. successful ever in any Oxford college. Unleashing Brain Power for teaching and research. Similarly the True Blue Leonard Louloudis | 31 Fortunately our recent periods as the parents of Oxford There has been challenge, of course, in following Matthew Baldwin | 60 Bodleian’s new Weston Library is making Spot On Michael Essman | 32 undergraduates have helped to prepare us for these and such a successful predecessor (very appropriately created Japan Decorates Professor Nye millions of books and catalogued materials other major changes in the University and its colleges. a Dame in the June 2015 Birthday Honours List for Ben Wilcox | 61 available to the public, as David Vaisey, Even more important in this very pleasant adjustment to services to higher education and to economics). Yet, as From Exeter to Jesus Tim Hele | 61 Bodley's Librarian Emeritus, reveals. Oxford and Exeter has been the highly welcoming attitude I have said to many Exeter audiences since October, if Exonians in Print | 62 Naturally Exeter’s students are of Exonians, including not only Fellows and students but you are ambitious (as I am) for an institution, you want a at the forefront of education. Rachael also the large numbers of alumni and their families met “hard act to follow”. Exeter has real momentum, evident White discusses classical allusions during travels to London, Exeter, Saskatoon, Toronto, – for example – in the 700th celebrations (of which more in contemporary Australian culture, Washington, New York, Boston, Florida, San Francisco, Los below), in its fundraising (with record-setting levels of Rebecca Evans shares her map of the Angeles, Chicago, Hong Kong and Singapore. We have participation in the anniversary year of 2013-14), in the geology of Scotland’s Moine Thrust Zone, been made to feel very much at home in the famously successful operation of Oxford’s only College-level careers and Thomas Wilson describes how he cohesive and supportive Exeter community. service, in its interdisciplinary Rector’s seminar programme discovered unpublished William Morris Above all we have benefited from the exceptional and in the start of construction on the Walton Street letters that shed new light on the artist’s kindness of my predecessor, Frances Cairncross, and her quadrangle (to be named the Cohen Quad in memory views on socialism and women. Editor: Matthew Baldwin husband, Hamish McRae, both still very much part of the of the parents of the College’s greatest philanthropist, Editorial Intern: Georgina Lee I hope you will find this edition of life of Exeter. They facilitated our entry by moving out Exonian Sir Ronald Cohen (1964, PPE)). As the College Produced by Matter&Co Exon both educational and entertaining. Art Direction and Illustration: Sarah Furneaux of the Lodgings – and Frances out of her office – into begins to write a strategic plan for the years ahead, Exeter www.matterandco.com Production Manager: Lee Mannion temporary quarters two months early, thereby allowing has the opportunity to become even more prominent and Matthew Baldwin, Communications Officer 2 EXON SUMMER 2015 www.exeter.ox.ac.uk/alumni www.exeter.ox.ac.uk/alumni EXON SUMMER 2015 3 1 2 4 successful, emphasising academic objectives 3 (including the renewal of the library) now that the College’s greatest-ever building project – addition, there were important alumni- 5 which, drawing on donations from a number of related occasions such as subject Exonians, provides the opportunity to lift the dinners, the Young Alumni Garden Party, quality of everything we do – is less than a and the annual dinner of the Exeter year from completion. College Boat Club and Association. The 2014-15 academic year has included And there has also been the University what I soon learned to recognise as the usual dimension – many meetings, of course, busy round of Exeter life. My speechwriting especially of the Conference of Colleges, talents were tested in October during but also many social occasions: the very the welcoming dinners for new freshers, pleasant custom is for new Heads of graduates and scholars. I soon got used to House to be invited to as many other the rhythm of frequent College committee colleges as diaries permit! The opening and Governing Body meetings as well as of the new Weston Library – the utterly less formal occasions for exchanging views transformed “new Bodleian” – by David with the leaders of Exeter’s junior and middle Attenborough and Stephen Hawking in common rooms. Rector’s Collections provided March was a truly impressive experience. an opportunity to hear from tutors how much A very special dimension of 2014- academic progress our undergraduates 15 has been the culmination of the were making, a function supplemented for 700th anniversary celebrations.